Eleven Rings

The Soul of Success

By: Phil Jackson, Hugh Delehanty

Narrated by: Matt Walton

Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

During his storied career as head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson won more championships than any coach in the history of professional sports. Even more important, he succeeded in never wavering from coaching his way, from a place of deep values. Jackson was tagged as the "Zen master" half in jest by sportswriters, but the nickname speaks to an important truth: this is a coach who inspired, not goaded; who led by awakening and challenging the better angels of his players' nature, not their egos, fear, or greed.

This is the story of a preacher's kid from North Dakota who grew up to be one of the most innovative leaders of our time. In his quest to reinvent himself, Jackson explored everything from humanistic psychology and Native American philosophy to Zen meditation. In the process, he developed a new approach to leadership based on freedom, authenticity, and selfless teamwork that turned the hypercompetitive world of professional sports on its head.

In Eleven Rings, Jackson candidly describes how he:

• Learned the secrets of mindfulness and team chemistry while playing for the champion New York Knicks in the 1970s
• Managed Michael Jordan, the greatest player in the world, and got him to embrace selflessness, even if it meant losing a scoring title
• Forged successful teams out of players of varying abilities by getting them to trust one another and perform in sync
• Inspired Dennis Rodman and other "uncoachable" personalities to devote themselves to something larger than themselves
• Transformed Kobe Bryant from a rebellious teenager into a mature leader of a championship team.

Eleven times, Jackson led his teams to the ultimate goal: the NBA championship - six times with the Chicago Bulls and five times with the Los Angeles Lakers. We all know the legendary stars on those teams, or think we do. What Eleven Rings shows us, however, is that when it comes to the most important lessons, we don't know very much at all. This book is full of revelations: about fascinating personalities and their drive to win; about the wellsprings of motivation and competition at the highest levels; and about what it takes to bring out the best in ourselves and others.

©2013 Phil Jackson & Hugh Delehanty (P)2013 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Through candor and comprehensiveness, Jackson writes a convincing revisionist take, in which he emerges as an excellent coach...highly readable...reflects Jackson’s polymathy." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Part sports memoir, part New Age spirit quest, part pseudo-management tract.... But the primary thing with Jackson - as with all the old bards, who were also known for repeating themselves - is the voice." (Sam Anderson, The New York Times Magazine)

"The legendary Bulls and Lakers leader's new book finally enlightened me to Jackson's lifelong dedication to the game." (The Atlantic)

Pretty interesting

Interesting depth for a sports fan
Def a puff piece from Phil about Phil but... duh
I learned a little, liked a lot of it and it was a great way to keep my brain occupied while driving around Phoenix. I’m sure I’ll take some of the Zen stuff with me and maybe take another step into that world.

Thx Audible 🙏🏼

Great book

What a great book about basketball but also about life and spiritual outlook. I really great read!

Awesome story! Great insight!

I enjoyed learning about leadership and mentoring from a coaches perspective. I played a lot of sports when I was younger but hadn't thought much about the role a coach plays in a long time. Most the leadership books I've read lately were from entrepreneurs, this was a fresh intriguing perspective!

Nostalgic narrative meets self help. 5 stars.

Phil does a great job writing a nostalgic narrative of MJ and the Bulls days of dominance and of the Kobe era Lakers. It is a fun read and also teaches you so much about life and success.

Must Read for Basketball Historian Buffs

Where does Eleven Rings rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the first audiobooks I've had so I can't really compare it to others.

What other book might you compare Eleven Rings to and why?

Biography of Michael Jordan. It goes deeper into how he grew up and became who he is.

Which scene was your favorite?

Phil Jackson discovering his spirituality throughout his life and describing how he implemented this knowledge on the basketball court.

Any additional comments?

The greatest coach of all time gives behind the scene looks of his championship teams and even his teams that had failed. The Zenmaster reveals his secrets!

Zen Master

Not only a great analysis of amazing championship teams and players but a guide on handling different personalities in a team environment

excellent leadership book

laced with all sorts of vivid, memorable stories, this is a great book about how different personalities can come together under different circumstances and still win with the right kind of leadership.

Not just sports bad for us, but real stories examples.

Eleven Stars

Great book. Great listen. Full of wisdom, bball methods, and events that shaped the aquisiition of the eleven rings. Along with a first person account that illustrates Phil Jackson's persona.

Highly recommend!

I LOVED how he talks through the importance of highs and the lows. Couldn't put it down.

Not Even A Hardcore Sports Fan

Elegantly written, pleasant to listen to, and profoundly insightful. Will have a positive impact on your leadership.